Katja[a]
Clin Neuropathol. 2005 Sep-Oct;24(5):201-8
Immunotreatment in patients with glioblastoma multiforme--a histopathological evaluation of reactive and inflammatory changes.
Persson A, Skagerberg G, Salford LG, Englund E; Brain Immuno-Gene Tumour Therapy Group.
Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Annette.Persson@med.lu.se
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common highly malignant brain tumor and is also one among the most therapy-resistant human neoplasias. At the University Hospital in Lund, a group of patients with GBM were treated with a new therapy form attempting immunization by glioma cells transfected to produce interferon-gamma. The purpose of this report was to evaluate tumor material from the first nine patients treated with this therapy, assessing the levels of inflammatory/reactive cells (lymphocytes and macrophages). Tumor biopsies from surgery performed at different time points during treatment were analyzed with conventional histotechnical methods and immunohistochemistry. A post-mortem neuropathological investigation with a whole brain assessment was achieved in 5 immunized patients. The results show that cytotoxic T lymphocytes exhibited a mild increase during immunotreatment. This increase indicates an invoked stimulation of a cytotoxic T cell reaction, which may prove beneficial when immunization is adequately manipulated in dosage and timing.